House drops bipartisan legislation to renew sanctions on Burma

The Obama administration is currently weighing when and how to lift sanctions against Burma, also known as Myanmar, following a slew of political reforms — including democratic elections — this year. The bill's cosponsors said they welcomed the moves but that more needs to be done before Burma meets the standards and goals set forth in the original Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, according to a summary of the bill.

“While we’ve seen positive developments in Burma over the past few months, much work remains ahead,” Chairman David Camp (R-Mich.) said in a statement. “I encourage the Burmese Government to continue on its forward-looking trajectory and implement significant political and economic reforms in order to foster a truly free and prosperous Burma.”

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The bill also extends the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) third-country fabric provisions through 2015 and adds South Sudan, which became the world's newest country last July, as an eligible beneficiary.

Identical legislation is expected to be dropped Thursday in the Senate.